Rear signal.



J. REYNOLDS.

REAR SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED mus 23. 1915.

1916;" 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

l aimaz;

Patent-ed Oct. 17,

m z mme z zzaids Arm/mm WITNESSES JAMES REYNOLDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REAR. sieii'an Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 19.16.

Application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES REYNOLDS, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident is a full, clear, and exact description.

I My invention relates to rear signals for vehicles; and the ob]ect thereof is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efflcient rear signal whereby the visual and hearing faculties of the person controlling a vehicle in the rear can be easily attracted.

With the above and other objects in view. the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds. the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application. similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure '1 is a side elevation of my rear sigial and the mechanism for-operating the same; Fig. :2 is a vertical section on line 2-8, Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the rear signal; through the bearing for the rear signal; Fig. 5 is an endelevation of the drum. including-the bearing for returning the signal to its original position; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of'the drum from the opposite end showing the pawls whereby the drum is connected or disconnected from the transmission means.

. Referring to the drawings, 7 represents .a lamp housing forming areflector and which is rigidly secured to a tubular member 8 prO ecting froni'a bracket 9. Secured to the tubular member within the reflector is an incandescent lamp 7 the conduits for Y which pass through the tubular member.

the, rear of a vehicle. I

The housing has a glass-screened side opening 8' tr; direct light from the lamp 7 on to the license number. Bymeans of the bracket the signal is secured to any desired,place in Mounted on the tubular member 8 between the housing 7 and the bracket 9 is a ball bearing 10, cones 11 of which being adjustably mounted on the tubular member 8. The revoluble part of the bcaringha-s a circular flange 12 to one Securedto the other face of 13 is rigidly attached.

side of which a pinion the fiance. 1

Fig. l is an enlarged section are arms ll which are arcuated to. conform with the curvature of the housing 7; and which arms extend from the flange to the front of the housing.

Secured to the housing at the front there'- of is an outer circular raceway 15 the balls 16 of which are maintained in position by a sectional ring 1-7 which encompasses the raceway 15. Each of the sections of the ring 17 has an ear-18 secured'to the corresponding arm ll, so that the ends of the arms ll are made to bear on the housing 7. One of the sections of the ring has beveled joints 19 whereby wear in the ball bearing formed by the raceway 15 and the sectional ring can be taken up.

Secured to the end of the arms ll adjacent the sectional ring 17 is a housing front 20 which has a plurality of sectorial openings 521. each of the openings 21 having a transparent member. The alternate transparent members are of different colors. and as shown in the drawings, the transparent ,members 22 are colorless, while the transparent members 23 are red. Of course,-if desired, any other color may be used. Se-

cured to the periphery of the housing front 20 are whistles 2-1 which become operative when the pinion 13 is rotated. v

Meshing with the pinion 13 is a gear 25 which has a ratchet 26 rigid and concentric therewith, the pinion having a shaft 27 connected thereto and bearing in the bracket 9. Mounted to turn on the shaft 27 is a drum or reel 28, the end of the reel-adjacent the gear being recessed and provided with gravitationally operable pawls 29 adapted to engage the ratchet 26 when said drum is rotated in a predetermined direction. The

other end of the drum. is recessed and therein aspring 39, preferably such as a clock spring, is provided, one end of the spring 29 with the ratchet 26. The i'evolutioifirof p 115 on the flexible causea swiftrevoliil: and therewith. the.

= be no binding' engagement between the ratchet and the pawls.

the gear will set the pinion 1l3into revolu- 171011 and therewith the arms 14 and the front of'the lamp housing po'nnectedthereto. The revolution not the reel" winds "the spring 30,- the unwinding'of which-restores the drum 28 to itsnormal position without revolving the gear25, due to the fact that there will the housing front will render the Whistles operative and attract attention, of .the hear- 1n the housing secured to the tubular extening facultiesof the car "drivers that are behind and indicate that acar is intending to change its course, The revolution of the colored sectors will indicate the car intending to change its course. The noise oflthe" Whistle is the attraction; thus notifying thev drivers near by so'thatthey mayavoid col lis ion. If the car driver wishes to turn out to pass a car in front of him, two operations, that is, two pulls on the reel will indicate this intention, and the revolving of the lamp front, as stated, will designate the car that is to be turned. If a car driver wishesto turn around, thatis, to go inIthe-opposite direction from Where he Wasgoing, he may operate three times, that is, pull three times on the flexible member 31. It will be noticed that inall cases the noise produced by the Whistles attracts the attention, while the revolution of the multi-colored housing front indicates which of the cars is to change its course. In lieu of the code of signals described, any othermay be selected.

While I have described the principle of operatiomtogether with the device which I 'noW consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and 7 that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a vehicle rear signal a lamp housing, a revoluble housing-front, whistles carried by-the frontand becoming operable when the front is revolved, and means for.

revolving the front.

2. In a vehlcle rear signal, a lamp housing, a revoluble housing-front having differently colored transparent sectors, whistles carried by the front and adapted to become operative when the front is revolved, and

means for revolving the front operable from the place from where the vehicle is controlled.

' 3. In a vehicle rear signal, a bracket, a

lamp housing secured to said bracket, a

. lamp-housing front mounted to revolve on The revolution of on the bracket and operable from the place tated. 4. In a vehicleprear signal, a bracket hav ingatubuljar' extensiom a lamp housing s'ecured to said tubular extension, a'rlamp ithfrom. where the] vehicle is' controlled, and, whistles carried y the housing-front and" becoming operable when said; front is I ro- .65

sion, a housing front mounted" torevol've' on j the housing, Whistles associated with the front and becoming operative whentheifrontis revolved, a pinion mounted to revolve on the. extension, means connecting the pinion toithe front, a gear in the bracket meshing. w th the-pinion, a drum free to revolve rela,'

tive to the gear, means for binding the drum" to the gear when the same is revolved in a" predetermined direction and whereby the front is revolved, a flexible member on the drum, the; unwinding of vWhich causes the revolution of the drum, and a resilient member for restoring the'drum to-its normal position wherebyflthe flexible member is Wound on the drum.

'5. Ina vehicle rear S gnal,

a bracketyaf lamp housing secured thereto, a multi;

colored transparent housing front mountedto revolve on the lamp housing,'-whistles.se-. cured to the housing front andbecoming operative when the housing isirevolvedya" driven member in said bracket, a pmlon co-- axial with the housing, arms connectingthe pinion to the front, and means for driving is controlled. p

6.In a vehicle rear signal; a lamp housing secured thereto, a housing front mountedtorevolve on the housing,

whistles carriedby the front andbecoming when the flexible member is unwouhd. and,

bracket, a. l

-95 the pinion located in the bracket and, olderable from the place from where'the vehicle a resilient member for. rewinding the flexible member. v

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

. JAMES REYNOLDS. Witnesses LILLIAN NIooHIA,

Josnrrr NIooHIA. 

